SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE … FOR NEW WSU CAMPUS
PLANS by the Walter Sisulu University to develop a new campus – at a cost of just more than R2-billion – on the N6 outside Komani, received a boost last week with the hand over of the site by the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM).
The site is located near the entry road to Komani Hospital.
EMLM executive mayor Lindiwe Gunuza-Nkwentsha said EMLM had been united in taking the decision to give the land for free to WSU as an integral step towards developing the municipality as an economic hub.
“We did not want to charge R50-million and lose out on the investment. We envisage a long term investment transcending to 100 years from now. Our mission was to create employment.”
EMLM faced infrastructure challenges and businesses needed to grow.
“We encourage local businesses to look for opportunities in this project.”
Young people would no longer have to leave Komani to study with EMLM set to benefit from the legacy of education.
WSU vice-chancellor Professor Rob Midgely said he was grateful for the bold visionary step taken by the municipality – a move which would benefit future generations.
“We are starting, the ball is rolling and we can not stop it now.”
He was accepting the land on condition that he still needed to speak to the Ministry of Higher Education and Training for approval.
Midgeley said two people had already shown interest in funding the project. WSU was at 11 years, one of the youngest universities in South Africa.
“We have four campuses and we are based in a rural area where the universities has the responsibility of opening the doors of learning. We wish to be a developmental institution to the community at large by improving the socio-economic conditions of rural people. The gate way to that is education.”
Agribusiness was being added as a degree at the Whittlesea campus. The campus had shown growth with student numbers doubling from 1 500 two years ago to 3 000 during the present day. The target for 2019 was 3 200 students.
WSU had four campuses with about 30 000 students and 3500 employees which included those contracted to the university and temporary employees.
The university benefited from a government subsidy but, Midgely warned that if the Fees Must Fall campaign succeeded and students did not pay, the university would go bankrupt.
The increased National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) budget, encouraged by the Fees Must Fall campaign, would help WSU.
“We have 18 000 students who supported by NSFAS. There will be about 4000 more students which could fall within the new financial parameters.”